Battles of Lexington and Concord
Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America Lexington:
What happened
British troops marched from Boston to seize weapons and supplies the colonists had stored at Concord, Massachusetts. Riders including Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott warned the militias. At dawn there was a clash on Lexington Green. At the Old North Bridge in Concord militiamen engaged the British soldiers, and the British began to march back to Boston. Brigadier General Earl Percy's force reinforced them during the return, and the militia fired on the column along the road.
Why it matters
Result: American victory. Leaders: John Parker / James Barrett against Francis Smith / John Pitcairn. Why it matters: These were the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. The militia then surrounded Boston, and the conflict became a full war.
What came next
The militia began the siege of Boston.
Did you know?
Paul Revere never reached Concord. Samuel Prescott was another rider who carried the warning.
Timeline
- April 18, 1775Paul Revere and William Dawes ride to warn the countryside.
- April 19, 1775 (dawn)Militia and British soldiers clash on Lexington Green.
- April 19, 1775 (about 11 am)Militia and British soldiers meet at Concord's Old North Bridge.
- April 19, 1775 (return march)Earl Percy's reinforcements join the British on the march back.